Easy Onion Soup Meatballs with Carrots is a savory, budget-friendly, dairy-free comfort food made in one pot with only 3 ingredients.
About this dish…
This savory meatball dish is perfect for a quick, hearty meat meal. Prefer ground chicken? It works perfectly with that as well.
The recipe relies on the nostalgic onion soup mix, the ultimate shortcut for adding deep flavor to ground meat without needing multiple individual spices.
And, unlike traditional dishes such as Swedish meatballs, this version is prepared without pork, butter, or heavy cream.
It is a budget-friendly, dairy-free dinner option for busy weeknights that even the kids will love.
Serve these meatballs alone, over rice, or with mashed potatoes.
It is also an excellent make-ahead meal that warms up beautifully for lunch or dinner.
Plus, meat has some nutritional benefits!
Like meatball dishes? Try Moroccan-Israeli Meatballs and Olives or Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms (without peas).
Some useful terms in cooking
What is a slurry?
A slurry is a mixture of liquid and dry starch, such as cornstarch or potato starch, into a paste that is used to thicken sauces and soups. One can use flour to make a slurry as well.
What is a roux?
Pronounced “roo,” a roux is a cooked mixture of fat and flour used to thicken sauces and soups.
What does savory mean?
“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.
What does it mean to simmer?
To simmer means to heat liquid to just below the boiling point (has slow bubbles). A lot of recipes call to bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Onion Soup Meatballs with Carrots
1. How do the carrots affect the cooking time of the meatballs?
Carrots take longer to soften than meat. To ensure everything is done at the same time, slice the carrots into coins. If you prefer them very tender, you can par-boil or sauté them for a few minutes before adding them to the pot with the meatballs.
2. Is the onion soup mix enough to flavor the whole dish?
Yes, onion soup mix is highly concentrated with dried onion, savory herbs, and salt. It provides all the necessary seasoning for both the meat and the carrots, creating a rich, flavorful broth as the ingredients cook together.
3. Do I need to add extra liquid to the pan?
If you find that the water has evaporated and the onion soup has become too thick and salty, then add a little water until you reach the desired consistency and flavor.
4. What is the best way to keep the meatballs uniform?
If you want, you can use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to portion your meat into similarly sized balls.
5. Can I use frozen sliced carrots?
Yes, frozen carrots work well in this recipe. If there is a concern that they might become too soft or mushy, wait until the meatballs have cooked through. However, you do want the carrots to absorb the flavors so they will need to cook together for a few minutes.
Everyday pantry essentials to keep in your kitchen (suggested)
Because I have a fairly large family (6 kids), I learned to keep a large amount of ingredients in my cupboards (and fridge) at all times so that I am able to make a nice variety of meals without having to plan ahead.
Onion soup mix is one of those items (besides always having veggies in the fridge and meat/chicken in the freezer).
Here is a pretty decent list of what I have, and I hope it gives you some inspiration.
Seasoning and flavoring:
- salt (my recipes use regular table salt)
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder (I prefer granulated)
- onion powder
- sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, whereas pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
- hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
- ground turmeric
- ground cumin
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consommé powder / beef bouillon powder (regular or vegetarian)
- onion soup mix
- onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion—3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Misc:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- coconut cream as a dairy-free cream substitute
- flavorless milk substitute as a dairy-free milk alternative
- cornstarch as a thickening agent
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- bread crumbs or cornflake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
- condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
- soy sauce (makes a great flavoring for savory foods)
A little about carrots
Carrots are a root vegetable.
They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. In addition, carrots are rich in antioxidants—nutrients found in plant-based food—and can reduce the risk of some cancers.
In addition, carrots can help support immune function, wound healing, and digestive health.
When I was a child and didn’t want to eat the cooked carrots on my plate, my mother would pick up the phone and tell me she was going to call Bugs Bunny on me and tell him!
For decades, carrots have been rumored to improve one’s eyesight, but is it true? Check out this article about that in Scientific American.
Like meatball dishes?
Try Moroccan-Israeli Meatballs and Olives or Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms.
Easy Onion Soup Meatballs with Carrots Recipe
Carrots and meatballs cooked in a delicious, savory onion soup gravy. Made without heavy cream, butter, or pork!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, rolled into 1-inch balls.
- 6 medium thin carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch thick disks
- 6 tablespoons onion soup mix, or to taste
- 4 cups of water
Instructions
- Slice carrots into 1/2" disks or angles.
- Roll ground beef into 1-inch balls.
- Bring water to a boil and turn down heat to medium
- Slowly add onion soup mix while stirring, making sure there are no clumps.
- Add carrots and meatballs and boil until carrots are tender (around 8 minutes)
Notes
*Add a little more water if mixture becomes to thick and salty.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1240mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 22g